INITIAL RESULTS OF PARAMUS FATAL FIRE INVESTIGATION

TO: ALL NEWS MEDIA

FROM: PROSECUTOR GURBIR S. GREWAL

DATE: SEPTEMBER 18, 2017

Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal announced the investigation of a fatal house fire occurring today at 49 Forest Avenue in Paramus, New Jersey. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad and Arson Task Force under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Paramus Police Department under the direction of Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation under the direction of Sheriff Michael Saudino.

At approximately 6:30a.m., the Paramus Police Department received a call from a second floor resident of 49 Forest Avenue, reporting a fire in the first floor apartment within the house. Family members living on the second floor were able to flee the burning structure. Paramus Police quickly arrived to find a heavy smoke and fire condition within the small first floor apartment. The Paramus Fire Department arrived to combat the fire and located a deceased victim inside the apartment. The victim was later identified as David F. WARDE Jr. (DOB: 6/1/1940). Mr. Warde was single and unemployed and was the lone resident of the apartment.

During the subsequent investigation, it was determined that the fire was caused by a faulty electrical outlet strip located in a living room area of the apartment. The residence remains uninhabitable at this time.

Prosecutor Grewal states that the investigation is ongoing. Prosecutor Grewal would like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the Paramus Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.